Bulldog - 33 pictures

Apprentice Photoshop Contest - 33 entries

Contest Options

Contest Info

Started: 7/14/2008 18:00

Ended: 7/18/2008 19:00

Level: apprentice

Entries: 33

Jackpot:

$1.5

$0.9

$0.6

$0.3

Contest Directions: Photoshop this bulldog image (click to download) any way you wish. Some examples are: dressing up this bulldog, mixing it with some other animal, photoshop it into some other object, put this bulldog into some new environment, movies, paintings. These are just some ideas.
You have 3 days to submit your entry. Submitting it early will give you plenty of time to read the critique comments and edit your image accordingly.
Many thanks to Jenny Rollo
and Stock Exchange for providing the source image.

Contest Info

You have such a nice big source image available to work from for your entry so why go so small? You have a good concept but you should reveal a bit more of the dog. Either the front of the nose or have the left front paw coming out of the mist to rest on the title. Make sure anti-alias is enabled for your text.

Thanks for that, I thought it looked a bit pale after it loaded up, I shall tweek it about a bit.great adviceJ

Excellent concept and a well deserved win, John!

Thanks a lot, and thanks again to cooper for the advice, I feel I should share the medal. I am loving being a member here. John

CONGRATS on the win John and on your FORTH GOLD !!! or is that 3 and a half

One more WIN and you get to CHOP with the big boys, lol.

[Edited by User on 7/18/2008 11:17:44 PM]

OOH movin on up. thats cool and a bit daunting, only just started photoshop recently and still learning as I go thanks to all the help I get here.Looking forward to everything to come though.thanks again for YOUR helpJohn

Good job bringing his arm into position and good job masking him from original background.I personally think that his beret is a tad too big, but maybe it was on sale and he decided " What the heck,can't beat the price".

LOL, I like it!! I like the tongue and horns, I'm not quite sure about the flag. I know it is necessary to your theme, but I think it needs some work.

[Edited by User on 7/16/2008 12:35:23 PM]

need to cut, layer, shift and shade flag parts to give some depth instead of just a foreground feel... add some manual shading like you would for white highlighting except with black might look pretty cool

MayUDream:I know but the time runs out for me, therefore the flag is ugly. And I donīt really know how to do either. Thanks for the comments anyway!

Iīm very bad at english but I try.

SidKain:Thanks for your comments to, I will try to find out what you really mean. Itīs hard with the language for me. But I still try.

maybe some more masking get the flag to look as though is dyed the fur rather than layered over the top?? great concept though

There are some issues with the flag might have been better just as a background but otherwise its a solid job, well done

This contest is fueled by the following news: The English bulldog is not a very large but a very strong breed of dog having the characteristic features of a fat and short muzzle, flat and forked nose and wide forked upper lip, due to which the upper incisors are seen from inside. The fur is short, straight and close to the body. The bulldogs are very kind dogs. The bulldog is a reliable guard to its master.
History of the breed
The predecessors of the modern bulldogs were used for hunting strong and dangerous beasts for example, wild boars and bears. Earlier in North and South America the bulldogs were trained for hunting the fugitive slaves but with the abolishing of slavery this custom disappeared on its own.
At present there are many varieties of this breed but all of them are descendants of the huge bulldogs that existed way back in the 15th century which are now still seen in Spain. By power, strength of the jaws and anger, bulldogs are not a very suitable sort for hunting and that is why their genes cannot be crossed with many breeds of dogs: Russian wolfhound, foxhound, terrier and even pointers. Incidentally, bulldogs along with the Russian mastiffs were used for hunting bears and were bred in the 70s of the 19th century in Moscow by the Rogozhsky post.
Information about the varieties of bulldogs can be found in the history of the breed "bulldog" in the 18th century. At that time such dogs were not used for domestic purposes, but were used for hunting bears and bulls. This perhaps, is the most barbaric and unworthy deed of man. However, this bloody sport was the forerunner of the modern dog exhibitions and shows.
It is absolutely right to assume that in those times bulldogs were of other sizes than what it is now. They were massive dogs, more closely resembling Great Danes. Their job was that during close fights with the bull, they had to cling to the opponent at the most vulnerable place, i.e. the nose. Thus making the bull helpless. It is from this that there is no neck in the English bulldogs. The dog had to attack the enemy from a lower position that the latter can't have it with his horns. Some huge bulldogs had to even completely come down as a reply to the lunge. That is why now while turning the head bulldogs are forced to turn around the entire body.
There are two more characteristic features of the given breed: the dog always attacks from below and having achieved the aim, it neither bites nor leaves, i.e. simply holds on tightly to the grip which is almost impossible to loosen. This happens due to the characteristic feature of the skull, allowing the nostrils to remain open after the gripping by the jaws. Before 1835 similar shows were prohibited by English law, it was possible to see that even after the death of the dog in such a duel, the jaws remained gripped to the nose of the bull. And to this day "the iron grip" of the bulldog is utterly impossible to release or to even persuade it to let go the victim.
The English bulldog is a splendid specimen of artificially bred dogs.
Wild dogs never resembled this.
It is unique, as no other breed of dog is so violently trained for acquiring such warrior like (noble) features like bravery and devotion, truth and stamina.
What sort is a perfect bulldog?
It is stumpy, medium sized, with straight but short and closely set fur. The torso of the bulldog is strong and solid.
The head is massive with a short hanging muzzle.
Broad shoulders and strong limbs
The dog should give an impression of a decisive, energetic and strong character.
The character of an English bulldog: balanced and friendly, decisive and courageous without spite and aggression, it behaves itself amicably and with dignity.
All these qualities should come out in its looks and behavior. The style and manner of the movements are the characteristic features of a bulldog.
Bulldog moves heavily, shuffling the paws sideways, as if waddling. However, the movements in the joints are not limited, it is free and energetic.